DOCSLIB.ORG

Days of Dictators, OAS Initiative Boosts Opposition

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Days of Dictators, OAS Initiative Boosts Opposition A--e he Tropic times Vol. II, No. 16 Quarry Heights, Republic of Panama May 22, 1989 'Days of dictators, OAS initiative boosts opposition tainted elections PANAMA CITY, Panama (UPI) intereference in Panamanian affairs Thursday that police have arrested 9 --The Organization of American and saying Latin American leaders some of the mission's Panamanian over says Arias States'initiative to oust de facto ruler were coerced by the United States security guards in an "act of Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega into criticizing Noriega. deliberate harassment." Embassy SAN JOSE, Costa Rica buoyed opposition leaders, but the Guillermo Endara, the opposition spokesman Terry Kneebone said 14 (Reuter) --Costa Rican President government saw the regional body's presidential candidate who says he to 16 of the Embassy's ap- Oscar Arias says the days of move as unwelcome intervention, won national elections, and proximately 80 security guards, dictators and fraud-tainted "This is Noriega's political Guillermo Ford, Endara's other contractedbyaPanamanianaffiliate elections are over in Latin funeral," Ricardo Arias Calderon, running mate, said the opposition of a U.S. security firm, have been America. vice-presidential candidate for the movement in Panama would renew detained since Wednesday. Civil Democratic Opposition its campaign of protests against the Kneebone said two of the guards "From now on no country on Alliance, said Thursday of the OAS government's decision to annul the working for the Embassy's security our continent will be able to make decision to send a team to Panama to election, firm, had left their jobs to work for a farce out of popular elections," bring about Noriega's removal. Guillermo Ford, the vice presidential or the vic Desidenti Arias said in a radio and television The 31 OAS foreign ministers "It's not enough just to have the Guide of the Civil Democratic broadcast last week in which he decided late Wednesday to condemn OAS delegates come down and have candidate resolution "the grave events and abuses by Gen. everything continue as usual," Ford Opposition Alliance. welcomed last week's One of those guards was killed and on Panama as the beginning of "a Manuel Antonio Noriega in the said. the other seriously injured by gunfire new era" in Latin America. (Panamanian) crisis" and to send to The U.S. Embassy in Panama said Continued on Page 8 Secretary-General On Wednesday, the Or- Panama OAS and the foreign ganization of American States Joao Baena Soares of Guatemala, Ecuador condemned Panamanian strong- ministers man Gen. Manuel Antonio and Tridad-Tobago. NoregaforMay7 eecton The envoys would "undertake a urgently . to ensure the irregularities and abusing mission for presidential candidates in the transfer of power with full respect will of the Panamanian strategically-located nation, the sovereign which shares a common border people," the GAS declaration said. said the OAS Costa Rica. Arias Calderon with statement was "diplomatic language N "Dictatorships of any kind will meaning Noriega must go as soon as no longer be able to perpetuate possible." themselves," Arias said, referring Thursday night, Noriega appeared to the OAS resolution and how it at a pro-government rally, waving, had isolated Noriega diplo- smiling and hugging well-wishers matically and put new pressure on during his first public appearance him to relinquish power. since the May 7 elections, which were must go and the voided. He has given interviews to "el"The ction dictatorsmustrs gesp ad French television and a New York elections must be respected," said rdosain Arias, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to forge a Dressed in a white shirt and dark Central American peace. civilian trousers, Noriega sat in the ".LetPanamahaveapresident front row of a government freely elected by its people," he conference center listening to added. speakers extoll his fight against U.S. pressure and occasionally standing Arias' statement was widely to wave to several hundred seen here as a warning to supporters. Nicaragua --Costa Rica's other After the rally, dozens of reporters neighbor -- where opposition and camermen mobbed Noriega as Marsh Jr., say the left-wing he left the government convention SECRETARY VISITS-Secretary of the Army John 0. politicians arrived at Sandinista government has failed center, but he ignored questions. Congressman John Murtha (D) Penn., and other dignitaries the local to lay the groundwork for free and Analysts differed about whether Camp Rousseau Saturday foran Inspection tour and a briefing of open elections next February. the OAS action would significantly situation. The site, now dubbed Camp Roadrunner by its inhabitants, is 61st Infantry, 5th Division (Mechanized) Costa Rica must remain alert, alter the political equation in occupied by the 1st Battalion, Polk,La. TheSthInfantryDivision soldiersdeployedtoPanama said, "because on our very Panama and shake Noriega's from Fort Arias assist USSOUTHCOM in protecting American citizens and to provide borders decisive battles are being determination to stay in power. to for U.S. personnel and property in accordance with the Panama fought between war and peace and The pro-government newspaper security t 5thZimmerman,InfantryDivision betweenandryoppression."CriticaranseveralstoriesCanalTreaty.(PhotobySpec.Ricky between liberty and condemning the OAS action as PAO) Air Force helps rescue Panamanian ship area, the 179th we had just passed over them, so we PFC Josh Finklea and the radio voice of a Spanish- Arriving in the by Capt. Rick R. made an aboutface and went back. Public Affairs Detachment speaking crewmember, Tech. Sgt. TAG C-130 piloted by 120th a search pattern. And finally we spotted them." Indiana Army National Guard Juan Obregon, sparked frantic Chase, II, began waving and shouts of joy from the Once the aircraft picked up the ship "Once we located the ship, we a definite fix on HOWARD AFB, Panama - ship's deck. on radar, they were able to make circled the area to get Capt. John E. Four days lost at sea, two without The lost ship was spotted by a C- radio contact immediately. its position," said Ky., the co- food - the plight of the Panamanian 130 crew from the 179th Tactical Chase's foresight in bringing Fanning of Louisville, freighter Gloria Maria and a crew set Airlift Group, Mansfield, Ohio, here Obregon paid off handsomely. He pilot. "We radioed the tug boats, port." adrift in the Caribbean by a power for two-week annual training. knew the sergeant spoke fluent which towed the freighter to Obregon said the aircrews felt failure. Already alerted, two other ANG Spanish, located him, and quickly searching for the ship, found 155 It was found May 18 by an Ohio aircraft were on routine training had his name added to the flight nautical miles northeast of the air Air National Guard aircraft assigned missions when one crew from the 166 orders. base, would be like trying to to Volant Oak, a continuous TAG heard the SOS from the The cloud cover complicated the force luckily, there was find a needle in a haystack. "But we operation in which six reserve freighter. mission but, to occasionally see stuck with it and finally found them." component C-130 aircraft, crews and Unable to continue the search enough break-up The sight of towels being waved by support personnel are dedicated to because of low fuel and poor patches of water, Chase said. from the decks of the ship U.S. Southern Command theater air visibility the crew radioed Howard "We ended up flying by them and crewmen them in the water," he gave his crew something to shout support. Air Force Base for another search missed seeing said. "The freighter's radioman said about, too, Chase said. The sight and sound of a Hercules aircraft. 2 Tropic Times May 22, 1989 U.S. news Bush suggests Chinese use King-style protest as model BOSTON (tJPI) -- President Bush EDT) deadline to vacate Beijing's urged the Chinese government Tiananmen Square, which has Sunday to be more forthcoming on become the symbolic focal point for political liberalization and defended demonstrations across China. his cautious approach to student "We do support freedom of demands for democratic reforms in speech, freedom of assembly, the People's Republic of China, freedom of the press and clearly we Speaking at a news conference, support democracy," Bush said. "I Bush said he wanted to avoid any don't want to be gratuitous in giving bloodshed in China, where students advice but I would encourage have held massive demonstrations to restraint. I do not want to see press their demands for more bloodshed. freedom of expression. "We revere the model of Martin "I don't think that it would be "Wt ere th coder or art appropriate for the president of the Luther King in this country for hi United States to say to the peaceful protest," Bush said leader. demonstrators and the students in referring to the civil rights Beijing exactly what their course of ''So I would s suggest the action should be," Bush said. "That is familiarization with that for the for them to determine." people of China and I would urge the "They know of the United States' government to be as forthcoming as see more commitment to democracy. .to the possible in order to to see a aspiration that we have that all democratization and people will live in democratic peaceful resolution of this matter." societies. But I am not about to Bush refused to issue a strong suggest what I think they ought to statement of support for the student do, except to spell out. .continue to demonstrations. fight for what you believe in, stand "I think this perhaps is a time for up for what you believe in," Bush caution because we aspire to see the NEW QUARTERS -- Pvt.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Original Lists of Persons of Quality, Emigrants, Religious Exiles, Political
    Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924096785278 In compliance with current copyright law, Cornell University Library produced this replacement volume on paper that meets the ANSI Standard Z39.48-1992 to replace the irreparably deteriorated original. 2003 H^^r-h- CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE : ; rigmal ^ist0 OF PERSONS OF QUALITY; EMIGRANTS ; RELIGIOUS EXILES ; POLITICAL REBELS SERVING MEN SOLD FOR A TERM OF YEARS ; APPRENTICES CHILDREN STOLEN; MAIDENS PRESSED; AND OTHERS WHO WENT FROM GREAT BRITAIN TO THE AMERICAN PLANTATIONS 1600- I 700. WITH THEIR AGES, THE LOCALITIES WHERE THEY FORMERLY LIVED IN THE MOTHER COUNTRY, THE NAMES OF THE SHIPS IN WHICH THEY EMBARKED, AND OTHER INTERESTING PARTICULARS. FROM MSS. PRESERVED IN THE STATE PAPER DEPARTMENT OF HER MAJESTY'S PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, ENGLAND. EDITED BY JOHN CAMDEN HOTTEN. L n D n CHATTO AND WINDUS, PUBLISHERS. 1874, THE ORIGINAL LISTS. 1o ihi ^zmhcxs of the GENEALOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETIES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THIS COLLECTION OF THE NAMES OF THE EMIGRANT ANCESTORS OF MANY THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN FAMILIES, IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED PY THE EDITOR, JOHN CAMDEN HOTTEN. CONTENTS. Register of the Names of all the Passengers from London during One Whole Year, ending Christmas, 1635 33, HS 1 the Ship Bonavatture via CONTENTS. In the Ship Defence.. E. Bostocke, Master 89, 91, 98, 99, 100, loi, 105, lo6 Blessing .
    [Show full text]
  • PEAES Guide: the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
    PEAES Guide: The Historical Society of Pennsylvania http://www.librarycompany.org/Economics/PEAESguide/hsp.htm Keyword Search Entire Guide View Resources by Institution Search Guide Institutions Surveyed - Select One The Historical Society of Pennsylvania 1300 Locust Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-732-6200 http://www.hsp.org Overview: The entries in this survey highlight some of the most important collections, as well as some of the smaller gems, that researchers will find valuable in their work on the early American economy. Together, they are a representative sampling of the range of manuscript collections at HSP, but scholars are urged to pursue fruitful lines of inquiry to locate and use the scores of additional materials in each area that is surveyed here. There are numerous helpful unprinted guides at HSP that index or describe large collections. Some of these are listed below, especially when they point in numerous directions for research. In addition, the HSP has a printed Guide to the Manuscript Collections of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP: Philadelphia, 1991), which includes an index of proper names; it is not especially helpful for searching specific topics, item names, of subject areas. In addition, entries in the Guide are frequently too brief to explain the richness of many collections. Finally, although the on-line guide to the manuscript collections is generally a reproduction of the Guide, it is at present being updated, corrected, and expanded. This survey does not contain a separate section on land acquisition, surveying, usage, conveyance, or disputes, but there is much information about these subjects in the individual collections reviewed below.
    [Show full text]
  • Freedomways Magazine, Black Leftists, and Continuities in the Freedom Movement
    Bearing the Seeds of Struggle: Freedomways Magazine, Black Leftists, and Continuities in the Freedom Movement Ian Rocksborough-Smith BA, Simon Fraser University, 2003 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS In the Department of History O Ian Rocksborough-Smith 2005 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Summer 2005 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. APPROVAL Name: Ian Rocksborough-Smith Degree: Masters of Arts Title of Thesis: Bearing the Seeds of Struggle: Freedomways Magazine, Black Leftists, and Continuities in the Freedom Movement Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. John Stubbs ProfessorIDepartment of History Dr. Karen Ferguson Senior Supervisor Associate ProfessorIDepartment of History Dr. Mark Leier Supervisor Associate ProfessorIDepartment of History Dr. David Chariandy External ExaminerISimon Fraser University Assistant ProfessorIDepartment of English Date DefendedlApproved: Z.7; E0oS SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY PARTIAL COPYRIGHT LICENCE The author, whose copyright is declared on the title page of this work, has granted to Simon Fraser University the right to lend this thesis, project or extended essay to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. The author has further granted permission to Simon Fraser University to keep or make a digital copy for use in its circulating collection. The author has further agreed that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by either the author or the Dean of Graduate Studies.
    [Show full text]
  • Legalization of the Non-Medical Use of Drugs Is Presented Below
    I. OVERVIEW 1. Measures taken nationally and internationally to reduce drug abuse and trafficking have yet to yield more universally visible and decisive results and, consequently, the validity and appropriateness of the drug control measures that Governments have agreed upon in international conventions and resolutions have continued to be questioned. The drug abuse and trafficking situation, which is accompanied by violence and corruption, remains grim, but the International Narcotics Control Board is not convinced that valid alternatives to present policies have been found that would meaningfully reverse the situation. Worldwide efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking have to be continuous, balanced and in an internationally concerted manner in order for further positive results to be achieved. Drug abuse is closely linked to political, social and economic problems, and progress in these areas will undeniably contribute to the solution of the drug abuse problem. In a number of countries positive developments have been reported and these should be more carefully studied and discussed so that successful experiences in one country can be considered by others. In addition, the mass media are invited to analyse and report on such positive developments. 2. The efforts of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) are highly appreciated by the Board. During 1992, UNDCP cooperated with 97 countries through 130 regional and country-specific drug control programmes. In addition, the operational work programme for 1992 included 30 global projects supporting a broad range of drug control activities, such as specialized training, research and advisory services. These activities have been implemented by UNDCP in collaboration with various specialized agencies of the United Nations system, other international organizations and various non-governmental organizations.
    [Show full text]
  • Wp4 Cambodia Youth
    Faculty of Social Sciences Institute for Development and Peace (INEF) Social and Political Fractures after Wars The Role of Youth Violence in post-1993 Cambodia Project Working Paper No. 4 Social and Political Fractures after Wars: Youth Violence in Cambodia and Guatemala Oliver Hensengerth October 2008 Supported by the German Foundation for Peace Research (DSF) This Working Paper Series presents the results of a two-year research project on: “Social and Political Fractures after Wars: Youth Violence in Cambodia and Guatemala” financed by the German Foundation for Peace Research at the Institute for Development and Peace between September 2006 and November 2008. Contact: [email protected] See the project homepage at www.postwar-violence.de Copyright for this Issue © Oliver Hensengerth 2008 Oliver Hensengerth Social and Political Fractures after Wars: The Role of Youth Violence in post- 1993 Cambodia Project Working Paper No. 4 Social and Political Fractures after Wars: Youth Violence in Cambodia and Guatemala The present study is part of the research project on “Social and Political Fractures after Wars: Youth Violence in Cambodia and Guatemala”. The project is financed by the German Foundation for Peace Research and is located at the Institute for Development and Peace at the University of Duisburg-Essen. The project aims at explaining different levels of youth violence in two post-war societies whose processes of war termination are regarded as successful. However, both societies face serious problems of post-war development that are closely related to the experiences of war and war termination. While Cambodia’s democratisation process is considered more or less as a failure, Guatemala suffers from levels of violence higher than during most of the war.
    [Show full text]
  • Blaming Russia First, Foreign Affairs, November 2000
    Blaming Russia First Stephen F. Cohen, Failed Crusade: America and the Tragedy of Post-Communist Russia, Norton. Chrystia Freeland, Sale of the Century: Russia’s Wild Ride From Communism to Capitalism, Crown Business. Paul Klebnikov, Godfather of the Kremlin: Boris Berezovsky and the Looting of Russia, Harcourt. Pity the unpopular Russians! In July, Mexico elects its first president from outside the country’s ruling party, and The Economist magazine labels it a “real democracy”. Russia elects a president from the political opposition in 1991, then holds no fewer than five competitive, generally free national elections in the following years. The Economist labels it a “phoney democracy”. Colombia has a problem with organized crime, and Washington gives its government $1.3 billion to help fight the drug lords. Russia has a problem with organized crime, and American politicians lecture Moscow sternly not to expect any more aid until it cleans up its act. An American bank is accused of laundering money for Russian organized crime figures, and a leading senator accuses the Russian government of being “the world’s most virulent kleptocracy”. An undercover Customs Service operation finds several Mexican banks laundering drug money in the US, and Washington apologizes to the Mexicans for conducting undercover operations on their territory. When the Asian crisis scares foreign investors away from the Russian market and the ruble collapses, commentators declare this proof of the failure of liberal economic reform in Russia. When the Asian crisis scares investors away from the Brazilian market and the real collapses, commentators declare this a bump in the road.
    [Show full text]
  • Lukyanov Doctrine: Conceptual Origins of Russia's Hybrid Foreign Policy—The Case of Ukraine
    Saint Louis University Law Journal Volume 64 Number 1 Internationalism and Sovereignty Article 3 (Fall 2019) 4-23-2020 Lukyanov Doctrine: Conceptual Origins of Russia’s Hybrid Foreign Policy—The Case of Ukraine. Igor Gretskiy [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.slu.edu/lj Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Igor Gretskiy, Lukyanov Doctrine: Conceptual Origins of Russia’s Hybrid Foreign Policy—The Case of Ukraine., 64 St. Louis U. L.J. (2020). Available at: https://scholarship.law.slu.edu/lj/vol64/iss1/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Saint Louis University Law Journal by an authorized editor of Scholarship Commons. For more information, please contact Susie Lee. SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW LUKYANOV DOCTRINE: CONCEPTUAL ORIGINS OF RUSSIA’S HYBRID FOREIGN POLICY—THE CASE OF UKRAINE. IGOR GRETSKIY* Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kremlin’s assertiveness and unpredictability on the international arena has always provoked enormous attention to its foreign policy tools and tactics. Although there was no shortage of publications on topics related to different aspects of Moscow’s foreign policy varying from non-proliferation of nuclear weapons to soft power diplomacy, Russian studies as a discipline found itself deadlocked within the limited number of old dichotomies, (e.g., West/non-West, authoritarianism/democracy, Europe/non-Europe), initially proposed to understand the logic of Russia’s domestic and foreign policy transformations.1 Furthermore, as the decision- making process in Moscow was getting further from being transparent due to the increasingly centralized character of its political system, the emergence of new theoretical frameworks with greater explanatory power was an even more difficult task.
    [Show full text]
  • China Assessment October 2001
    CHINA COUNTRY ASSESSMENT October 2001 Country Information and Policy Unit CONTENTS 1. SCOPE OF DOCUMENT 1.1 - 1.5 2. GEOGRAPHY 2.1 - 2.26 Geographical area 2.1 - Jiangxi province 2.2 - 2.16 Population 2.17 Names / Surnames / clan names 2.18 - 2.20 Language 2.21 - 2.26 3. HISTORY 3.1 –3.54 pre-1993: 3.1 - 3.2 1966-76 Cultural Revolution 3.3 - 3.5 1978-89 and economic reform 3.6 - 3.9 1989 Tiananmen Square 3.10 - 3.12 Post-Tiananmen 3.13 -3.14 1993-present: 3.15 - 3.33 Crime and corruption 3.15 - 3.24 Criminal activity 3.25 - 3.28 Government leadership 3.29 Economic reform 3.30 - 3.34 Currency 3.35 1999: Anniversaries 3.36 - 3.37 International relations 3.38 - 3.39 "One country, two systems" issues 3.40 - 3.54 Relations with Taiwan 3.40 - 3.43 Hong Kong: 3.44 - 3.46 Elections 3.47 Dissidence 3.48 -3.50 Mainland born children 3.51 Vietnamese boat people 3.52 Macao 3.53 - 3.54 IV: INSTRUMENTS OF THE STATE 4.1 - 4.49 Government and the Constitution 4.1 - 4.20 Political structure 4.4 General overview 4.6 - 4.10 Village committees 4.11 - 4.19 Neighbourhood committees 4.20 Legal framework 4.21 Criminal Law 4.23 Criminal Procedure Law 4.25 State Compensation Law 4.25 Regulation changes 4.28 Appeals 4.29 Land law 4.34 Security situation 4.37 - 4.33 Shelter and investigation 4.38 Re-education through labour 4.39 Police 4.40 - 4.46 Armed Forces, Military conscription and desertion 4.47 - 4.49 5.
    [Show full text]
  • Beverages of Latin America
    ANT4930: Food and Gastronomy in Latin America Beverages of Latin America [00:00:05.53] Beverages of Latin America for the court's food and gastronomy in Latin America. There have been many major contributions to beverages worldwide that have come from Latin America. Including one of the world's most widely consumed beverages Coca-Cola, the story is quite interesting. [00:00:23.86] There was a pharmacist in Atlanta by the name of John Pemberton who heard about Coca wine being made in France. Of course, in France, they were getting the Coca leaves from the hyaline Andes where the plant is native. So he got some Coca wine and instead took the alcohol out of it but left the cocaine in and began marketing the syrup. The syrup was Coca-Cola syrup and with the addition of carbonated water people could make the beverage Coca-Cola. [00:00:51.16] In 1983 the cocaine was removed from the beverage but the leaves were left in it as a flavoring agent, and to this day lives are still imported and make up part of the secret formula or so- called secret formula for Coca-Cola as a flavoring agent. Meanwhile tea from coca leaves has a really long history of consumption in its native habitat in the Andes. Long before European arrival, indigenous peoples there were drinking Coca tea. [00:01:17.38] It's very beneficial for adjusting to the high elevations and it's quite common to find it in markets in the Andes today. The impact of Coca-Cola on Latin America has been pretty widespread.
    [Show full text]
  • English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records
    T iPlCTP \jrIRG by Lot L I B RAHY OF THL UN IVER.SITY Of ILLINOIS 975.5 D4-5"e ILL. HJST. survey Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://archive.org/details/englishduplicateOOdesc English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records compiled by Louis des Cognets, Jr. © 1958, Louis des Cognets, Jr. P.O. Box 163 Princeton, New Jersey This book is dedicated to my grandmother ANNA RUSSELL des COGNETS in memory of the many years she spent writing two genealogies about her Virginia ancestors \ i FOREWORD This book was compiled from material found in the Public Record Office during the summer of 1957. Original reports sent to the Colonial Office from Virginia were first microfilmed, and then transcribed for publication. Some of the penmanship of the early part of the 18th Century was like copper plate, but some was very hard to decipher, and where the same name was often spelled in two different ways on the same page, the task was all the more difficult. May the various lists of pioneer Virginians contained herein aid both genealogists, students of colonial history, and those who make a study of the evolution of names. In this event a part of my debt to other abstracters and compilers will have been paid. Thanks are due the Staff at the Public Record Office for many heavy volumes carried to my desk, and for friendly assistance. Mrs. William Dabney Duke furnished valuable advice based upon her considerable experience in Virginia research. Mrs .Olive Sheridan being acquainted with old English names was especially suited to the secretarial duties she faithfully performed.
    [Show full text]
  • The Coca Debate: Headed Toward Polarization Or Common Ground?
    The Coca Debate: Headed toward Polarization or Common Ground? By Kathryn Ledebur and Coletta A. Youngers May 2008 In March 2008, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB, a United Nations agency) provoked outrage in Bolivia by calling for the elimination of traditional uses of coca, such as chewing coca leaves and drinking coca tea. Although a 1961 anti-drug convention called for the elimination of all such uses of coca within 25 years, subsequent UN statements have recognized the legitimacy of traditional coca consumption. Dismayed by the lack of sensitivity to indigenous cultures, President Evo Morales’ government announced that it would formally request coca’s declassification as a narcotic drug, as it is presently listed in the 1961convention. Such a move would have no bearing on the status of cocaine under the conventions. Even though modifying the status of coca under the UN conventions would not affect provisions related to controlling cocaine and other illicit drugs, the obstacles to coca declassification remain formidable. Historically, UN member states have resisted changes to the established conventions and significant political support would need to be built among countries that have ratified the 1961 convention. Moreover, the Bolivian government is facing a delicate political situation domestically, which understandably diverts attention and resources from other, less immediate initiatives. In any case, changing coca’s status will be a difficult and lengthy endeavor, but it would represent an important step toward promoting respect for indigenous rights in Bolivia and other Andean countries. The INCB’s condemnation of the coca leaf comes at a time when the Bolivian government is making significant headway in meeting its international anti-drug obligations.
    [Show full text]
  • Background Information on Chechnya
    Background Information on Chechnya A study by Alexander Iskandarian This study was commissioned by UNHCR. The views expressed in this study by the author, Director of the Moscow-based Centre for Studies on the Caucasus, do not necessarily represent those of UNHCR. Moscow, December 2000 1. Background information on Chechnya Under Article 65 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Chechnya is mentioned as one of the 89 subjects of the Federation. Chechnya officially calls itself the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. It is situated in the east of the Northern Caucasus, with an area of around 15,100 square kilometres (borders with the Republic of Ingushetia have not been delimited; in the USSR, both republics were part of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Republic). According to the Russian State Committee on Statistics, as of January 1993, Chechnya had a population of around 1,100,000. There are no reliable data concerning the current population of Chechnya. Chechens are the largest autochthonous nation of the Northern Caucasus. By the last Soviet census of 1989, there were 958,309 Chechens in the USSR, 899,000 of them in the SSR of Russia, including 734,500 in Checheno-Ingushetia and 58,000 in adjacent Dagestan where Chechens live in a compact community.1 The largest Chechen diaspora outside Russia used to be those in Kazakhstan (49,500 people) and Jordan (around 5,000). One can expect the diaspora to have changed dramatically as a result of mass migrations. Chechnya has always had a very high population growth rate, a high birth rate and one of the lowest percentages of city dwellers in Russia.
    [Show full text]